Isla Holbox in Mexico is a tropical paradise where I stayed for a week after my weird days in Tulum. Don’t expect a perfectly polished island. Yes, there are white beaches with soft sand, beautiful street art and huge palm trees, but tourism has risen quickly and the streets are bad. After rain some of the streets look like rivers and getting from A to B can be a real expedition… These are my Isla Holbox tips for an amazing stay!

Try to catch a golf cart/taxi after your arrival by ferry, which will take you to your accommodation for 60 to 100 pesos. I decided to walk, but due to the flooded streets I could not get to my hotel and got stuck. A kind Mexican family rescued me and picked me up with their golf cart. Check out my Instagram for all the Instagram Stories in my Mexico Highlight. 

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Mandarina – Casa las Tortugas | Isla Holbox tips

Isla Holbox – how to get there?

From Chiquila, there’s a ferry to Isla Holbox every half hour. Isla Holbox is a small island located in the Yucatan Peninsula, accessible from key hubs like Playa del Carmen. There are two ferry companies, including Holbox Express, offering ferry transfers every 30 minutes, taking about 20-30 minutes and costing around 140 pesos ($7.30) each way. You can easily buy your ticket at the kiosk in the harbor. Travelers can take an ADO bus from Cancun or Playa del Carmen to Chiquilá, which takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. Most visitors arrive by rental car or bus to Chiquilá, where parking is available for rental cars before taking the ferry. Private cars are not allowed on Isla Holbox; golf cart taxis and bicycles are the main modes of transport on the island. There is also a red “fast ferry”, but I bought my tickets for the regular one.

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Best hotels in Isla Holbox

(Click on the name for rooms & rates)

Hotel Para Ti: my home away from home! This small, adults only hotel is so incredibly colorful and cozy. Street art, bamboo, a shell as a shower, a nice bed and a lovely pool. I ended my trip here and enjoyed every single day.

AWA Boutique Hotel: this stunning beachfront hotel has the most beautiful pool on the island.

Tribu Hostel: a great option for budget travelers, offering colorful and social accommodations just 50 meters from the beach, with rooms around $50 USD per night. The bar upstairs is beautiful and the cocktails are dangerously good, but things get a little less wild than at Che. Ideal for solo travelers.

Ser CasaSandra is a boutique hotel that emphasizes sustainability and offers stunning rooms, making it one of the best places to stay on Isla Holbox.

Casa las Tortugas is the place to be for those who want to be pampered. This boutique hotel boasts a beautiful beachfront location and upscale amenities for a luxurious experience. To be honest: if I could afford it, I would have stayed here too. What a beautiful place.

THE BEST HOTELS IN ISLA HOLBOX

Hotel Para Ti | Isla Holbox tips | Hotels

Best restaurants and beach clubs

Go to Zomay for the sunset! So much better than at Punta Cocos and you can order delicious cocktails while you’re watching the sun go down. During the day, if you spend at least 300 pesos on food and drinks, you can use the comfortable daybeds. I would skip Punta Cocos; it was very difficult to reach after the rain and the view at Zomay is just as beautiful.

La Playa de Ñaña: delicious smoothies, cocktails, food and a super relaxed atmosphere. Don’t sit in front of the speakers because the music is, like everywhere else on the island, way too loud.

Painapol: my favorite brunch and lunch spot. Delicious juices, bowls and special home-made infused water in lots of flavors. You can create your own sandwich on, for example, a focaccia. Fresh and large portions.

Roots! I went to Roots 3 times for the insanely delicious pizzas. This romantic courtyard garden full of street art will keep you coming back. Even the wine here is delicious and this is quite unique in Mexico. Order the pizza with blue cheese and portobello; you can also create your own unique combination. In the evening there is live music.

Brunch at Painapol | Isla Holbox tips | Restaurants

Barba Negra: food market with delicious tacos, sushi, burgers and pizza. Try the gin tonic with cilantro and jalapeño. Well priced and the atmosphere is casual and cozy. Order your drinks from the wait staff; for the food you just walk to your favorite stall, where you pay directly. You get a plate with a number, so they can find you when your meal is ready.

Around Parque Central de Holbox, you’ll find an abundance of cheap eats and street food, including tacos, burgers, and crepes… These spots are popular with locals and perfect for sampling authentic flavors. Ceviche is also a popular dish among visitors, reflecting the island’s lively dining scene.

Holbox is a true culinary hotspot in the Yucatan Peninsula, with a vibrant food scene that mixes local street food and upscale dining, making it a must-visit for food lovers.

More restaurants in Isla Holbox

Mandarina: restaurant of the beautiful Casa las Tortugas. They have the best iced coffee here. It will cost you 6 euros, but if you want to treat yourself, it is so worth it.

Amaité: drinks at sunset with your feet in the sand. The cocktails are a little bit sweet, but the atmosphere makes up for that. Just order a Corona!

Mahi: delicious seafood restaurant opposite Hot Corner.

Pizza at Roots and an area at the beautiful Tribu Bar | Isla Holbox tips | Restaurants

Best things to do in Isla Holbox

Rent a bike (Bikes Holbox) and cycle out of town to the east. There you will find some nice beach bars and you can book a good massage. For a 60 minute massage you pay about 500 pesos per person. You do not need a bike every day; everything is easily accessible on foot and I felt very safe here. What a difference with Tulum!

Walk a dog from the Refugio Holbox Animal Sanctuary. Because of this organization, you won’t see any street dogs on the island. Even raccoons are taken care of. In the morning and early evening volunteers can walk the dogs. During the day this is not possible because of the heat.

Other great activities 
There is plenty more to do on the island. Take a boat to the Yalahau Cenote or book a multi-island tour along some of the most beautiful beaches in the area. At low tide, walk the sandbanks to Punta Mosquito for miles of clear shallow water around you, and from April to October you might spot wild flamingos along the way. Go kayaking through the mangroves to see crocodiles and birds up close, or head to Punta Cocos on a new moon night between May and September for bioluminescence in the water. And if you visit between mid-May and September, swimming with whale sharks is an absolute must.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST ACTIVITIES

Beautiful street art at Isla Holbox! | Things to do

A few practical things to keep in mind. Holbox is part of the Yum Balam Nature Reserve, so the island takes sustainability seriously. Single-use plastics are banned, so bring a reusable bottle and straw. Use reef-safe sunscreen and biodegradable insect repellent. The sandy roads can flood during the rainy season (mid-May to November), and seaweed can be an issue on the beaches. For the best weather, December to March is your safest bet.

Bars and nightlife in Isla Holbox

Tribu Hostel Bar: on Saturday nights you can dance here until late. Start the evening during happy hour between 19:00 and 20:00 with gin tonics for 50 pesos. The cocktails are amazing.

The Hot Corner: famous and infamous. This is the place where everyone ends the night. The band is fantastic and everyone is salsa dancing in the streets.

Salma: the best creative cocktail bar on the island. Worth every peso.

Shops and coffee in Isla Holbox

Luuma. This restaurant of hotel Casa las Tortugas is located in a garden and has a store with beautiful clothes. If you can afford them.

Another Clandestino & Clandestino: probably the best coffee on the island. Too bad the wifi is only free for half an hour. After that you pay 250 pesos for 2 hours.

The beautiful shop at restaurant Luuma | Isla Holbox tips & things to do

Extra insider tips for Isla Holbox

If you want to linger horizontally at a beach club, don’t pick a daybed near a speaker. The music is way too loud almost everywhere on the island; so unless you want to put in your festival earplugs, choose your spot wisely.

Besides tourists, mosquitoes are also huge fans of Isla Holbox. Take some extra vitamin B1 starting 2 weeks before departure to make your blood a little less attractive and bring some good DEET. Unfortunately dengue fever also occurs in Mexico.

After a storm a lot of seaweed washes ashore and the sea becomes less clear. If you are unlucky, the beach can be full of it. The first few days of my trip the beach was pearly white and the water super clear, but the last days I was swimming in seaweed.

For solo travelers, Isla Holbox is not the most ideal destination. I noticed that I was mainly among couples. I still had a great time, but I did sometimes miss other solo travelers. When you stay at a hostel like Tribu Hostel, it is easier to meet other solo travelers, but the comfort level is lower. Che Hostel is a party hostel; I would prefer Tribu.

Check out my Instagram for my Mexico Highlight Stories and photos of the trip.

Flooded roads after some rain | things to do

How to get to Cancun airport from Isla Holbox?

(Or Cancun to Isla Holbox)

The comfortable ADO bus runs once a day from Chiquila to the airport. In my case it was at 14:00. The ride costs 416 pesos and takes 2 hours. The ADO buses almost always arrive on time and are very modern; bring something warm because it can get cold on board.

Another option is booking a shared van, also called a colectivo, at one of the travel agencies. These depart from Chiquila at various times. Colectivos often stop along the way and usually take 3.5 hours instead of the indicated 2.5 hours. A colectivo costs about 350 pesos for the trip.

BOOK A SHARED SHUTTLE HERE

Book your tours at one of these beach huts or in the town center. Prices should be almost the same everywhere.

Cancun Airport can be a bit confusing. There are multiple terminals that you sometimes have to take a bus to, so arrive on time. Clumsy as I am, I ended up at the wrong terminal and was glad I still had enough time to take a bus back.

Flying to Cancun, Mexico

I flew to Mexico with Aeroméxico. After a little debacle with United Airlines, who claimed I could transfer in the United States while there was a travel ban, I had to book a new ticket 6 days before departure. Online I saw that Aeroméxico got great reviews and my experience is also very positive. On the way back I bought an upgrade to business class for 100 US dollars. An 11 hour night flight from Mexico City to Amsterdam is so much better with a glass of bubbles, delicious food and a proper flat bed. Spoiled for life.

Isla Holbox tips: Frequently asked questions

How do you get from Cancun to Isla Holbox?

Take a bus or shuttle from Cancun Airport to Chiquila, then hop on the ferry to Isla Holbox. The ferry runs every half hour and takes about 20 minutes. You can also book a shared shuttle directly from the airport.

What is the best time to visit Isla Holbox?

The dry season from December to April offers the best weather; the beaches are at their cleanest and the water is clear. If you want to swim with whale sharks, visit between June and mid-September.

Where is the best place to stay in Isla Holbox?

For a comfortable boutique stay, Hotel Para Ti is my top pick. For ultimate luxury, Casa las Tortugas is in a class of its own.

Practical questions about Isla Holbox

Is Isla Holbox good for solo travelers?

It can feel a bit couple-heavy, but staying at a social hostel like Tribu Hostel makes it much easier to meet other travelers.

What are the best things to do in Isla Holbox?

Rent a bike and explore the east of the island, kayak through the mangroves, hike to Punta Mosquito and book a tour via GetYourGuide. Between June and mid-September, swimming with whale sharks is unmissable.

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